Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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135. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of participants on the JobBridge programme who have secured employment with the support of the JobsPlus scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31979/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long-term on the Live Register. The incentive is payable, on a monthly basis, over a two year period if the employee is retained in full-time employment for two years. JobsPlus is biased in favour of those who are longer term unemployed. The value of the aggregate monthly payments is €7,500 for employing a jobseeker 12 to 24 months on the Live Register and €10,000 if the jobseeker was on the Live Register for over 24 months.

Since its launch in July 2013 to the end of June 2014, JobsPlus has supported 2,634 jobseekers in full-time employment with 2,007 employers nationally. Some 60% of jobseekers being supported on JobsPlus had been on the Live Register for over 24 months at the time of recruitment. Of the 2,634 jobseekers supported at the end of June, approximately 280 or 10.5% had previously participated in JobBridge. Payments to employers in the six months to the end of June 2014 have amounted to just over €4.4 million. Overall, payments to employers have amounted to €5.5 million since the first payments were made in August 2013.